


Bury It Deep

by nan



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-22
Updated: 2011-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-27 18:17:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/298647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nan/pseuds/nan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While out hunting, Daryl gets asked some important questions and comes to some important realizations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bury It Deep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pesha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pesha/gifts).



"Look, I'm going with you."

Daryl raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah." Glenn paused for a minute before continuing. "Look, T-Dog's injured, Dale's old and can't keep up, Andrea's with Carol, Shane's too busy doing his alpha dog bullshit, and it's dangerous going out there alone, okay? So. I'm going to go hunting with you." Glenn looked pale, paler than any Asian kid should be, and he looked like he was going to throw up. Daryl had to give him respect for that, as well as not mention Merle, who shouldh've been the one offering to come along. Seemed he was more interested in bothering Andrea and Amy than actually being useful and, though he would never fucking admit it out loud, it was starting to piss Daryl off.

Daryl sighed and thought about punching Glenn before deciding not to. "Fine, Asia, if you think you can keep up. If you slow me down, I'm leaving your ass behind," he said, hefting his crossbow up. "And don't think I'm kidding, neither. There's only one goddamn kid I'm looking out for and that sure as shit ain't you." Sophia was with her mother, relatively safe in the protection of the group, even if her asshole dad was with them. The man made Daryl's blood boil but it weren't none of his business. All he could do was make sure the girl and her ma stayed bite free.

"Yeah, right, whatever," Glenn said, finding it in him to roll his eyes and wasn't that some shit? Kid was damn spunky and Daryl didn't know if it amused and annoyed him. Probably, like most things, it was a mixture of both. "Come on, let's do this."

***

Tracking was a learned art. Any asshole can walk around in the woods looking for shit to shoot, but it took someone with the right kind of know-how to actually _track_ animals, to follow them and take them out. Daryl was an expert. Glenn was not.

"Hey jackass, you mind not walking where I'm tracking?" Daryl snarled, and Glenn jerked like he'd been electrocuted, before going still. "It's kind of difficult to follow a trail when your ass is in the way."

"Sorry, sorry," he said. "I just-"

"You're just _getting in my way_ ," Daryl said. "Get behind me, watch for walkers. I thought that's why you decided to come along. Because it was so damn _dangerous_ out here." Daryl said the word like it was a slur.

"Jesus, I'm sorry," Glenn repeated, falling behind Daryl, hands clenched tight on his machete. "I'll cover you, okay?"

"Great," Daryl muttered. It was quiet for a moment, save for the crunch of the leaves under their feet and ragged breaths, before Glenn spoke again.

"Why aren't you afraid?"

"What?" Daryl glanced over his shoulder. "Jesus Christ, can you go five goddamn minutes without talking? "

"I can't help it, I talk when I'm nervous," Glenn said, before adding wryly, "And hey, I'm out in the forest, surrounded by God knows how many cannibalistic undead and one racist redneck, I think I have good reason to be."

Daryl hid his amusement behind a cough, irritated the little punk made him laugh. "Yeah, well, you knew what the hell you were getting into when you insisted coming along, dumbass," he said, stepping over a particularly tall log.

"Yeah, yeah," Glenn said and Daryl could practically _hear_ the little bastard rolling his eyes. "Anyway, why aren't you scared?"

"Why the hell should I be?"

It was quiet for a moment before Glenn spoke up again, voice heavy with disbelief. "Well...the world has kind of gone to hell, man. Everything we knew is gone and you're acting like it's no big deal."

Daryl spat on the ground before shrugging. "The way I see it, not much has changed. Before all this shit happened, people were out to screw you over. They still are, just in a different kind of way."

"Wow, that is a totally horrible world view, man," Glenn said, coming up beside Daryl, brows furrowed. "So, what? Are you expecting us to screw you over?"

The funny thing was, Daryl really wasn't. Sure, there was something about Shane that suggested he would do anything to keep Lori and her brat safe, even if that something was fucking over the other members of the group, but besides him, there were so many goddamn _do-gooders_ in the group. Actual, honest to God, good fucking people who might not have the skills to survive but had the goddamn heart and morals to try and do right by everyone. It was weird but Daryl preferred being around these assholes than any of the people he knew before the world got all fucked up. He would never admit that out loud though.

The sound of fingers snapping drew Daryl from his thoughts and he shoved Glenn's hand away with a snarl. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Glenn stepped back, hands up to show he wasn't dangerous, which was kind of stupid considering his right hand gripped a machete. "Whoa, sorry, man. You were just a little gone for a second there."

"Wasn't nowhere," Daryl said, before shrugging his shoulders. "Now you mind _shutting the hell up_?"

"Sorry, jeez," Glenn muttered, falling quiet again, staying close enough behind that Daryl could tell where he was, but far enough behind to not get in the way. Another thing Daryl wouldn't admit - and he was wracking that shit up - was it was kind of a relief having someone at his back. Asia sure has wasn't Merle but that was okay. He was-

"Hey, listen," Glenn said, catching his elbow, dark eyes wide. "Do you hear that?"

"Yeah." He certainly did now, a rustling up ahead that sounded to heavy and unconcerned to be an animal. "Stay behind me, kid."

"No problem there." The words were barely breathed out and Daryl lined up his sight, waiting for a chance to shoot whatever the hell it was trudging along just out of sight. When it finally showed itself, Daryl noiselessly. It was was a walker alright, one already falling to pieces. Daryl followed its decomposing head in the sight of his crossbow before shooting. The walker fell to the ground immediately and Daryl smirked, relaxing and walking forward to pull the arrow out.

A muttered 'shit' from behind made him stop and Daryl whirled around to find two more walkers heading toward them. These two were a bit more spry; mouths open, arms reaching out and Daryl reached down, pulling out one of the many knives he had on him. The one in front came a bit too close and Daryl swung the knife, catching the creature across the face, coming dangerously close to gouging its eye out. Stepping backwards, Daryl lunged forward and jabbed the knife in its eye, sinking it deep into the walker's skull.

The second walker was already on the ground and Glenn was holding the mechete towards it. While his eyes were wide and he was taking big gulping gasps for air, his grip was steady.

"Okay, so I know we haven't found anything yet but I vote we try again somewhere else," he said, the words a rush, tripping out of his mouth like it was a goddamn race. Daryl snorted and pulled the arrow out of the walker's head, casually wiping it on his pants leg before loading back on his crossbow.

"Hell no, kid," he said. "You wanted to come along. Now you're stuck. Besides, you did good, taking out that walker. Especially for a skinny little Chinaman."

"Ugh, I'm _Korean_ ," Glenn replied, eyes narrowing.

"What's the difference? Now come on."

As they trudged forward, Glenn said, "hey, you never answered!"

"Answered what?"

"Well, you never said whether or not you think we're going to screw you over?"

Daryl paused before smirking. "Nah, I don't think so."

"Whoa, man, really?"

"Naw. I'm the most useful guy on this team. Y'all would be in some deep shit if it weren't for me."

Glenn snorted. "Yeah, right." A pause. "Actually, you know, that's probably true."

Daryl grinned. "You're damn right, that's true. Now come on. I'm going to teach your worthless ass how to track."

**Author's Note:**

> omg, I hope you enjoyed this nonsensical walk through Daryl's brain while he's out hunting with an extreme novice! I've never written Daryl before so I hope his voice sounded appropriately Daryl-ish (and if not, I hope he was at least entertaining!). Happy Yuletide! :D


End file.
